Electric-power-plant system



V. G. APPLE ELECTRIC POWER PLANT SYSTEM Original Filed Sept. 15, 1919June 2, 1925.

2 SheetsSneet l I were, r2 Vance/(AZ 61% Jime 2, 1925. 1,540,237

V. G. APPLE ELECTRIC POWER PLANT SYSTEM Original Filed Sept. 15, 1919 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Q QBJW Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,540,237 PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT G. APPLE, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

ELECTRIC-POWER-PLANT SYSTEM.

Original application filed September 15, 1919, Serial No. 324,021.Divided and this application filed April 28, 1920. Serial No. 377,401..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VINCENT G. APPLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Power- PlantSystems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for automaticallysupplying lights, hot and cold water, and for utilizing the waste heatof an internal combustion engine, to contribute in maintaining the waterat the desired temperature, thus serving a dual purpose of maintainingthe en- 'gine at proper temperature for automatic starting, in winterand summer, with heavy fuels, besides furnishing hot water for domesticpurposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide aplant that willautomatically start and stop a pump or pumps forfurnishing a watersupply between predetermined ranges of pressure and temperature, whichwill produce a distinctive alarm signal, or will automatically stop theengine when the supply of fuel or lubricant is about exhausted and-whichwill control a fuel supply, to supplement the waste heat of the engine,for maintaining the water at the desired temperature when the heat fromthe engine is not sufficient for the purpose, and furthermore whichwill'automatically stop the engine whenthe voltage of the battery is upto its usual potential difference, and when the battery electrolyte hasreached a predetermined density.

Other, and more specific objects of the invention will be readilyapparent, to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of thefollowing description, when taken in conjunction with the drawings,wherein Fig. 1 shows a schematic arrangement of the apparatus necessaryfor carrying the in vention into effect.

Fig. 2 is a more specific diagram with reference to the particularcharacter of the apparatus used, showing some of the apparatus in moredetail and omitting to show other parts, that are familiar, and whichare shown in outline in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section of a fluid level controller, used in connection withsupplying the lubricating oil to the engine and associated apparatus.

Fig. 4 is an indicator showing the quanhausted. This also preventscranking the engine, thus losing battery charge.

In all the views the same reference charactors are used to indicatesimilar parts.

This application is divided out of my original application Serial No.324,021, filed September 15, 1919.

, 10 is an internal combustion engine, driving a dynamo electricmachine, or generator 11.

Normally loose on the shaft 12, of the engine, is an eccentric 13,- fordriving the cold water pump 14; and another eccentric 5, is fixedthereon and used for driving the hot water pump 16. An electric clutch17 controls the eccentric 13 and the cold water supply; 18 is acoldwater tank and :19,is a hot water tank. When the eccentric 13 isconnected to the shaft 12 by the electric clutch 17 it operates the pump14, to take the cold water from'the deep well or cistern 20, thru thepipe 21, and pump it through the pipe 22 into the tank 18. The servicesupply is taken from the tank thru pipe 23. The hot water pump 16 takeswater from the tank 19, thru the pipes 24 and 25 and delivers it intothe water jacket of the engine 10 by the pipe 26. The hot water is takenfrom the water jacket by the pipe 27 and delivered into a valve casing28, from which it may pass thru pi 29 into the hot water tank 19, orwhen li ated excessively into the pipe 30, and to an outside radiator31, or any other source through which it may be directed while beingcooled, and returns to the pipe 25 through the pipe 32. The hot waterpump 16 is operated positively by the shaft 12, and is always inoperation when the engine is in service, but the pump 14, which suppliesthe cold water, is in service only when the electric clutch 17 isproperly energized. Connected to the upper end of the'cold water tank 18is a bellows diaphragm, 33, connected thereto by pipe. 34. The diaphragm33 controls a lever 35, pivoted as at 36. The lower end of. the lever 35is adapted to make electrical connection with a contact screw 37, beingnormally held in contact therewith by the spring 38, when not forcedaway by the bellows diaphragm 33. This is more clezrly shown in Fig. 2.

Now when the pressure of the water within the tank 18 is beyond apredetermined degree, the bellows diaphragm 33 pushes the arm 35 out ofits connection with the contact screw 37, thereby opening the circuitthru the clutch 17, and stopping the operation of the pump. The clutchmember 38, of the clutch 17, is rotatably connected to the shaft 12 by afeather 39, but it is free to move axially on the shaft when attractedby the member 40, when the latter is electrically enthe battery B, overthe wires 50 and 51 to the positive brush 52 of the dynamo, and thencethru the dynamo to the negative brush 53, and over the wires 54 and 55,and thence over the arm 46 and contact 38, thus causing the dynamo 11 tooperate as an electric motor to start the engine. The circuit is closedthru the field coils 56 of the dynamo, just prior to closing the circuitthru the armature. A segment 57 is connected by wire 58 to the wire 59,which in turn is connected' to negative terminal 60 of the battery. Thewire 61 is connected to one end of the field windings 56, and to a lever62, that is insulated from, but moves with the lever 46. The lever 62makes contact with the segment 57 before the lever 46 makes electricalconnection with the contact 48, and therefore the field circuit isclosed before the armature circuit is closed. The starting magnet 45 maybe energized from a remote point by a manual switch 63 and when closedthe engine will also start with low water pressure, and by this meansthe battery will be given an occasional overcharge, which is a desirablefeature. \Vhen the hand switch 63 is closed the circuit will proceedover the wires 64 and 65, and thru a switch operated by the hydrometerin the controlling cell 66 of the battery, and thru the contact 67, andlever 68, thereof, wires 69 and 70, thru the contact 71, controlled bythe potential electro-magnet 72, and the lever 7 3, and thence by wire74 back to the controlling V magnet 45. This circuit may be openedantomatically by the controlling cell 66, when the density of the liquidelectrolyte is sufficient to indicate that the battery B is fullycharged. There-fore, it will be unnecessary to'start the engine tosupply the light, liecause so long as the density indicator, consistingof the hydroineter 75, raises the switch arm 68 and opens the circuit,the bat tery is sufliciently well charged to take care of all of itsload. The potential magnet 72 is connected directly across the terminalsof the, battery B, and when the electro-motiveforce is sufficiently highthe magnet 72 attracts the lever 7 3, and opens the circuit between 73and 71, so that' the engine may not be started, by closing the manualswitch63, because in that event it will be unnecessary, and therefore itis manifest thatwhen the electro-motive-force of the battery issufficiently high to supply current for the load, or when the specificgravity of its electrolyte is fproper, the dynamo may not be started romthe remote point, such as the switch 63, and can only be started fromthis point when the potential of the circuit is sufficiently low to needrecharging of the battery, or when the specific gravity is low,

on account of the battery being partially discharged or when waterpressure in tank 18 is low.

Assuming the switch 63 to be closed, and the engine and dynamo being inoperation, just so soon as the electro-motive-forc'e, or voltage of thebattery, has reached the predetermined point, the electro-magnet 7 2will attract the armature 73 and open the circuit between the armature,or lever 73, and the contact 71, thereby permitting the spring 76 toovercome the magnetism in the starting magnet 45, and opening thecircuit between the battery and the dynamo. It will not be necessary torun the engine and d 'namo uselessly after the battery has een fully'charged and its electrolyte is of proper density, except occasionally topump water pressure which will give the battery the occasionalovercharge needed. As heretofore explained, either the density, orvariation in density of the electrolyte and the variation in theelectro-motive-force, or voltage or the current supplied-by the batteryor the lack of oil or fuel for the engine or low ressure in tank 18initiate the means by w IiCh the engine may be started or stopped, asrequired for the service.

The ,battery terminals 49 and 60, are'connectedto electric light servicewires 77 and 78, b the wires 50 and 59, respectively, to supp y electriclights. The positive-brush 52 of the dynamo is connected to the wire 51and that wire is connected at the junction of the wires 50 and 7 8, asat 80, while the mega tive brush 53 is connected by the wires 54 and 55and the lever 46 to the negative terminal of the battery, thru the wire59, so that the dynamo and the battery are in parallelcircuit forsupplying the current for the lamps 79. The generator line connectionsare not shown in Fig. l as these connections are suflicientlyillustrated in Fig. 2.

The clutch 40, for controlling the cold water pump 14, is provided withan electric coil 81, connected by wire 82 to an insulated ring 83, theother end -of=the coil being con-.

nected by wire 84 to a ring 85, and these rings are connected to thewires 41-*afn d 42 for communlcatmg current to the clutch to energizeit, in order that the eccentric 13,

v tablished thru the clutch 40 and starting coil 45. lVhenthe pressurein tank 18 is suflic'ient to separate contacts 35 and 37, the

. clutch willbe deenergized but the starting magnet may remain energizedif the circuit thru the devices 136, 73 and 68 is closed and th enginewill not be stopped when the cold water pump is disconnected from theengine.

Connected to the hot-water tank 18 is a bellows diaphragm, 90,controlling-a lever 91, which is pivoted, as at 92. A pipe 93 connectsthe diaphragm to the tank and maintains the diaphragm 'filled with hotwater from the tank. When the water in the tank has reached apredetermined temperature the diaphragm is expanded, thereby causing itsarmature" arm 91 to make electrical connectionwith a contact 95,.

which causes energizationof the electromagnet 96, thru the wires 97 and98, that are connected to the main wires 77 and 78. When the magnet 96is energized it pulls over the arm 99 and closes the end of the pipe 100in the closed casing 28, and which pipe leads to the bottom of the hotwater tank, and opens the end 101 of p1pe 30, which leads to theradiator 31, outside of the building, orfor heating space inside of abuilding during the winter season. Theobject of the radiator 31 is tocool the circulating water in the engine when the water 1n the tank 18has become sufficiently heated for the purposes for which it isintended, and, therefore, by this means the magnet 96 will cause thewater to circulate from the engine direct to the auxiliary radiator andthe water therefrom becoming cooled, will pass thru the pipe 32 back tothe engine thru the pipe 25, thru the hot water ump 16, in

the. manner heretofore. descri ed. Now, when the water in the tank 19becomes cooled to a predetermined degree, the bellows diaphragm 90 willcontract and open the circuit between the lever 91 and the contact 95,whereupon the arm 99 Wlll be returned to the opposite position and closethe end 101 ofpipe 30 and open the pipe 100, being drawn to thisposition by the spring 102. In the pipe 30 is a check valve 103, so thatthe water cannot return from the radiator 31. Should the water in thetank 19 become considerably cooled the bellows diaphragn'i will contractmore than, as heretol'ore stated, and cause the arm 91 to makeelectrical connection with the contact 103, thereby energizing theelectromagnet 104, which will open a gas valve 105 in the gas pipe 106.A pilot burner 107 is kept lighted under the tank 19, so that when theheat from the engine is not sufficient to supply all of the warm waterrequired in the tank 19 the electro-magnet 104 will automatically lightthe main heating burner 108, under the tank 19. The spring 109 willreturn the arm, controlled 'by the magnet 104, to its normal positionwhen the magnet is deenergized.

The-1i uid fuel for supplying the engine is contain in a tank 110, whichmay be located in the ground outside of the building on which the plantis situated, and the tank may contain gasoline, kerosene or the like. Itis conveyed by a pipe 111 to a vacuum operated secondary tank 112, usualin the operation of engines of this character. The vacuum pipe 113 isconnected to the intake manifold 114 of the engine, and the pipe 115 isconnected to the carbureter 116. Briefly, the supply of fuel in the tank112 [is produced by the vacuum efi'ect of the inspiration strokes of theengine.

A similar tank 115, is to contain lubricating oil from which the oil isconveyed by apipe 116, to a similar secondary supply tank 117, operatedby vacuum effect through the pipe 118. A pipe 119 connects the lower endof the container 117 with an automatic level-maintaining device 120,shown more clearly in Fig. 3, and operated very similar .to the fount ina student lamp, for maintaining a constant level. The outer tank 120 isopen at its upper end and encloses a closed tank 121, into which thepipe 119 projects. The bottom of the tank 121 is perforated, asat 122,through which the lubrieating oil will pass into the pipe 123, leadinginto the crank casing of the engine, and also leading into the bearings124 and 125 of the dynamo. Another pipe 126 returns the used lubricantinto the lower part of the crank case, as at 127.

A gauge 128 is used for indicating the level of the lubricant, or fuel,in either of the tanks 110 or 115. The indicator 128 is provided with atube 129, containing a square or angular rod 130. A s ide .131 on therod has a projection 132 131, will descend in the-tube 129, and alwaysremain upon the top of the liquid. The projection 132 that extends intothe groove 131 will rotate the rod as it descends, and the index 135will pass around over the top of the graduated scale 136, at the top ofthe instrument,-and indicate the extent to which the tank is filled.After the index 135 has made a complete revolution, indicating that thetank is empty, it will bear upon a spring 138 and break connection withthe contact 139. The part 140, of the index, will press against thespring 138, thereby opening the circuit between the wires 70 and 70, andcausing the engine to stop and prevent the engine from being cranked bythe battery, and furthermore the engine cannot be' started unless theindex 135 is out of contact with the spring 138, which indicatesthatthere is a supply of fuel or .lubricant within the respective tanks.

' While I have shown the battery cell 66 separated from the main batteryB, it will be manifest, to a person skilled in the art,

that it is shown inthis way for the simple purpose of illustration, asit belongs, in practice, at the end of the series of cells illustratedabove, in which it is specifically indicated by the reference character66.

While I have herein shown a single exemplification of my invention forthe purpose of clear disclosure, it will be manifest, to persons skilledin the art, that numerous changes may be made in the general arrangementand configuration of the parts, within the scope of the appended claims.I

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. In a system of the character described providinga dynamo electric machine; a water cooled engine to drive the machine; abattery to ener the dynamo to start the engine; an au matic switch toconnect the battery and dynamo, in combination with a pump driven by theengine to constantly'pump water thru the jacket of the engine when theengine is running; a tank to receive the water from the jacket; means toheat the water in the tank and a temperature responsive means to controlsaid heating means.

2. In a system of the character described providing a dynamo electricmachine; a water cooled engine to drive the machine; a battery toenergize the dynamo to start the engine in combination with a pumpdriven by the engine to pump water thru the jacket of the engine; atankto receive the water from the jacket; means to change the temperature ofwater in the tank and a temperature responsive means to control thetemperature changing means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribed my name.

VINCENT G. APPLE.

